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If they were transporting soldiers off to fight or to keep peace, that would not be so bad.

War and peace is not as time sensitive as a carefully organised prime ministerial visit.

The amount of effort it takes for a small country to actually secure an appointment with the Government of India, and hold them to it, is large.

Once that is secured, an immense amount of thought, planning and effort goes into organizing around it, including that of the business delegation.

Business has been denied a chance to promote both their own and New Zealand's national interests in Mumbai.

They can go back another time and do that privately.

Undoing the reputational damage will be more difficult.

At least the political leg of the trip, to New Delhi is going ahead, assuming the Air Force can be trusted to do keep its second Boeing in working order.

* I am reliably informed that both Boeings were 10 years old when they were bought by the Government in 2003 from the Dutch airline Transavia. But I'm also told by an airline pilot that they can fly for decades if well maintained. The RNZAF Hercules which are due for replacement soon are pushing 50 years.